George Alec Effinger was a pro writer and part of the Clarion class of 1970. His first novel, What Entropy Means to Me (1972) was nominated for the Nebula Award. He achieved his greatest success, perhaps, with the trilogy of Marid Audran novels set in a 21st century Middle East, with cybernetic implants and modules allowing individuals to change their personalities or bodies. Other stories were the series of Maureen (Muffy) Birnbaum parodies which placed a preppy girl into a variety of science fictional, fantasy, and horror scenarios. He occasionally used the pseudonym of O. Niemand and was married, for a few years, to fellow writer Barbara Hambly. He was a member of the Guilford Gafia.

Posthumously published in 2003 was Budayeen Nights, a collection of short stories and unfinished pieces.